1. Field
The following description relates to a dust collecting apparatus and a vacuum cleaner having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a vacuum cleaner is a device to suction air containing foreign objects such as dust from a surface to be cleaned, to separate and to collect the foreign objects such as dust and discharging cleaned air to an outside of a body thereof.
Particularly, a cyclone type vacuum cleaner which separates the foreign objects from the sucked air using centrifugal force may be used semi-permanently, and also may be used in a more sanitary and convenient way than in a conventional vacuum cleaner using a dust bag or a dust filter, and is used widely.
A vacuum cleaner includes a body which receives a fan motor generating suction force, a suction unit which sucks air from a surface to be cleaned, a connection unit which connects the suction unit and the body, and a dust collecting apparatus which receives the air sucked by the suction unit and separates and collects foreign objects such as dust.
The dust collecting apparatus includes a dust separating chamber in which the foreign objects such as dust is primarily separated from the sucked air using the centrifugal force, and a filter which re-collects fine dust remaining in the air.
The filter is disposed at an upper side of the dust separating chamber so that the air passing through the dust separating chamber is discharged from the dust collecting apparatus through the filter, and a filter cover is rotatably hinged to an upper portion of the filter in order to prevent exposure of the filter.
After using the vacuum cleaner for a long period of time, the filter cover is opened to replace the filter, the filter is removed and replaced with a new one, and then the vacuum cleaner may be used.
However, a user may negligently open the filter cover to replace the filter, remove the filter, close the filter cover, and operate the vacuum cleaner in a state in which no new filter is installed.
If the vacuum cleaner is operated without the filter, the air in which the fine dust is not removed is transferred to the body, and the fine dust may be introduced into the fan motor disposed in the body, and thus problems may occur in the fan motor.
In order to prevent such problems, it may be necessary to prevent the filter cover from closing when a user attempts to close the filter cover in the state in which no filter is installed, so that the user recognizes the fact that no filter is installed.